Christina Tells All
by TracyLynn
Summary: Henry Missing Scene from 02.02 Family Affair Christina tells Henry that Charlie has been cheating on him.


_**Author's Note : **__Okay, so I kind of decided that this season, I am going to write a one-part fan fiction after every episode that describes a "missing scene" from the episode. In other words, something that we know happened but we didn't see. For episode one, __How Betty Got Her Grieve Back__, I wrote one called Tucson to New York, which is basically Henry's bus ride from Tucson to New York. _

_Now, with last week's episode, Family/Affair I have written the following missing scene, which is basically, Christina telling Henry that Charlie has been cheating on him. I don't really know how to "type" Scottish brogue so when you read what Christina is saying, please add your own version. I hope you enjoy._

_Thank you to all of my friends at instant connection where all of the cool Henry and Betty fans hang out._

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**Christina Tells All**

"Henry, come here."

Christina walked around the desk and draped her arms across his shoulders as she continued.

"Let me tell you something about this baby of yours. Somebody's got to."

Henry let Christina lead him from the closet and down the hall to the elevator. A numpty ? Charlie ? He didn't understand. And, what did she know about his baby ?

He guessed he'd find out soon enough, so he let her lead him into the elevator and once inside, he looked at her questioningly.

"Where are we going ?"

She smiled weakly at him. He almost felt like he saw pity on her face.

"Somewhere we can talk without interruption."

She pressed the button for the bottom floor of the building. Once there, she walked toward the cafeteria dining area, which was now nearly empty since it was after four o'clock in the afternoon, and she motioned for him to sit down at an empty table.

"Henry, there's no easy way to say this."

"Look, Christina, whatever it is, if it explains why Betty is acting strangely around me and has something to do with Charlie or the baby, I need to know."

"I agree, you do need to know."

Christina took a deep breath.

"You remember that day, the day you met Betty on the bridge to tell her goodbye ?"

Henry shook his head.

"Of course, yes."

"Well, after you left she was a mess. She held it all in of course, like she always does, strong Betty, invincible Betty. I tried to talk to her but she just went back to work and tried to put it behind her."

Christina looked up at him and saw he was watching her intently so she continued.

"She had a dentist appointment that afternoon and left around three. Apparently, when she got there, she and the hygienist got into a conversation, about you. Betty had been there the day before getting her teeth cleaned for your date and she had mentioned you then, so the hygienist wanted to know how the date had gone. Betty told her briefly what had happened."

Henry cringed and the thought of all Betty had gone through because of him.

"The hygienist wanted to know your girlfriend's name, so she could hate her with a name. Sorry."

Henry nodded some level of understanding. Christina knew the worst was to come and she dreaded the next part of the story knowing that Henry had no idea just who Charlie was anymore.

"Well, when Betty told her Charlie's name, the hygienist laughed saying that Dr. Farkas had been seeing a girl named Charlie. Of course, Betty said it couldn't be the same person, because you and Charlie were together. The hygienist then said, the girl was a cute little redhead and Betty started to wonder. When the hygienist went on to say that the girl made jewelry and even showed Betty a bracelet she had made the girls in the office, Betty knew it was your Charlie."

Henry's eyes were wide and confused. Christina felt horrible for him.

"What ? You're saying Charlie was seeing Betty's orthodontist ? The guy Betty brought to her birthday party ?"

His words were filled with emotion.

"Yes, Henry, I am. I'm sorry. Betty and the hygienist talked some more and Betty left there determined to find you and tell you before you left, but….."

Christina stopped when Henry got up from the table and began to pace. He even took his glasses off to rub his eyes. She knew it was a lot to process. He put his glasses back on and ran his hands through his hair. He was angry.

He walked back to the table and leaned over putting his hands down on the table and looking at her. Christina thought he looked on the verge of tears.

"Christina, what you are telling me is that Charlie cheated on me, that this baby may not be mine. Is that what you are telling me ?"

"I'm sorry, Henry. I thought someone should tell you the truth and Betty tried to when it happened, but then everything with Santos happened and you were gone."

She paused a moment to look at him, his eyes were closed.

"She felt you had made a choice and that the baby still could be yours and she didn't want to be the one to break up a family."

Henry stood abruptly.

"I made a choice because I thought I had an obligation to Charlie. I thought that she had made all of these sacrifices for me and that I had been the one that had strayed from her by finally admitting my feelings for Betty and breaking up with her. When she told me she was pregnant, it never once crossed my mind, that anyone other than me, could be the father."

His back was to her but she could see he was overloaded with emotion. His shoulders shuddered and his head dropped.

"Henry….."

He turned around and looked at Christina with the most hurt and sad look on his face she had ever seen, he looked like he could break.

"Christina, Charlie was the only reason I couldn't be with Betty. She isn't a reason anymore. I have to go find Betty."

"What about he baby ? The baby could still be yours. I wanted you to know the truth but I don't think it fixes everything for you and Betty."

He frowned.

"No, no it doesn't. If the baby is mine, then I will be there for the baby, but I don't have to be in Tucson to be a good father. Charlie and I can arrange custody so that I am a part of my child's life without giving up the rest of my life, without giving up Betty. And, if the baby isn't mine……"

Henry took a deep breath and once again, Christina saw tears threaten to spill from his eyes.

"…then I'll deal with that too."

She watched the emotions run across his face. There wasn't anything else she could do.

"Well, I guess I had better get back to work. I think you need to think this through before you go see Betty. Are you going to be okay ?"

Henry looked at her and smiled weakly.

"Yeah, I think so. And, Christina, thank you for telling me and for being such a good friend to Betty….and to me."

She stood from the table and walked over to him.

"You take care of Betty's heart, okay ? And, your own."

He nodded.

"I will. I think I am going to take a walk and let some of this sink in."

"Henry, it will all be okay."

He smiled.

"I hope so."

They walked out of the cafeteria and Christina headed back upstairs while Henry left the building.

He walked away from the Meade Building with no real destination in mind. He was still going over everything that Christina had told him in his head and trying to apply it to what he did know.

The night of Charlie's birthday party, Betty had brought her orthodontist to the party. He had been jealous and apparently everyone could tell. Charlie had seemed convinced that Betty and her date were perfect for each other. Yet, now he knew Charlie had actually started seeing Dr. Farkas after that night. When ?

He thought back on the weeks that followed. He had been kind of preoccupied after Betty had basically dismissed him from her life. It was then that he had started to really question what he was doing with Charlie. He had started working later, they were arguing more. There had been a few nights when Charlie had been out when he got home. He never questioned her because toward the end they were barely speaking and the truth was he hadn't cared where she was at that point.

It was while Betty was in Mexico that he had finally had the conversation he had been dreading and told Charlie they were over. He didn't love her anymore. She had been upset, clearly. She had left that night with a bag. Betty had come home the next day and he hadn't seen Charlie again until the night she showed up at Betty's house to tell him she was pregnant.

Now that he thought about it, they had stopped connecting on many levels by that time. In fact, if he knew when Charlie was due, he would probably know right away, if he was the father. He looked up and realized he was at the bridge where he and Betty had said their goodbyes.

He leaned against the bridge and looked out at the water and the skyline. He sighed. He was angry again, he could feel it building up. He stood back up and walked back to the main street near the park and hailed a cab. He gave the address to his apartment to the driver and sat back to think.

When the cab stopped several minutes later, he got out of the cab and paid his fare. He walked toward his apartment building and then stopped. He turned and walked down the street to the convenience store on the corner. He wanted to just block it all out. He wasn't much of a drinker, but right now he just wanted to be numb.

He walked to the wall cooler in the back of the store and looked for something to drink. He grabbed a 4-pack of wine coolers and headed to the cashier. With brown paper bag in hand, he left the store and headed home.

After setting the bag with the wine coolers on the counter in the kitchen, he loosened his tie and opened the refrigerator. He grabbed the milk carton from the top shelf, opened it and took a long gulp. Someone once told him it helped to coat your stomach with milk before you drank, he was about to put that theory to the test.

With a wine cooler in hand, he walked to the living room, tossed his jacket on the back of the couch and sat down, kicking his shoes off. He opened the wine cooler and took a long drink, letting the liquid flow down his throat. With two more long gulps he finished the first one off and headed back to the kitchen to bring the rest of the 4-pack back to the living room.

Within 30 minutes he was halfway through number three and his lips were starting to feel the numbness his mind was looking for so desperately. He glanced over at his desk where he saw his baby books sitting stacked so neatly. He closed his eyes and the tears that had threatened to spill over since Christina had first told him about Charlie, finally had their release. A small sob escaped his lips before he worked to regain his emotions and finished off the third wine cooler.

The baby might still be his but it might not be, and he might never know if he would be a good father. He might never know because he made a choice, a choice to have a family with the mother of his child and his child. He made a choice to leave the woman he…….

Betty. He had to see Betty. He was drunk. But, he had to see her. He made choices about their future based on things that were no longer relevant. He had to see her.

He got up from the couch and put his shoes on and his jacket. He felt a little out of it but coherent enough to know what he needed to do, what he needed to say. He tossed the empty bottles in the trash, grabbed his keys and the last wine cooler and left the apartment.

A cab was conveniently coming down the street when he came outside and even though it was getting dark he had been able to hail it with little effort. When he opened the door, he kind of fell in almost dropping the wine cooler.

"Hey, buddy, be careful."

Henry sat upright and looked at the cab driver's ID hanging in the window.

"John, sorry, John. It's been a long day."

"Whatever. Where to ?"

Henry gave him Betty's address and they headed off. By the time they reached Betty's house Henry was more than halfway thru the last wine cooler and had a hard time getting the right amount of money out for the fare. After another minute, he finally exited the cab and stumbled up the steps to Betty's door. He ran his fingers through his hair, doing more damage than good and tried to straighten his shirt and tie. Now he had to see her.

He went through the first door to the house and then leaned in to knock, putting a little more effort into it than he had intended, he knew Betty would hear him if she was in there. He yelled for her.

"Hello !"

He knocked again.

"Who is it ?"

He sighed and smiled. She was home.

"It's me."

"Henry ?"

He leaned his head against the glass of the door.

"Betty."

As he stood there waiting, he saw her shadow approach the door and she pulled back the curtain. He looked at her, taking in her concerned expression. Christina was right, this wasn't going to be easy but he had to tell her how he felt, what he wanted.

_THE END……._


End file.
